Scottish Executive

Child Care

Miss Annabel Goldie (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many secure accommodation places there will be by 2007.

Cathy Jamieson: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-10863 on 4 October 2004. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Culture

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what types of music are offered to schools through the Youth Music Initiative in each local authority area.

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many pupils will benefit from the Youth Music Initiative, broken down by age group and local authority area.

Ms Patricia Ferguson: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-12393 on 8 December 2004. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Dentistry

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with NHS Ayrshire and Arran regarding the provision of dental services in the area.

Rhona Brankin: We have had no specific discussions about NHS general dental service provision with NHS Ayrshire and Arran. Responsibility for the overall provision of NHS dental services in the area rests with NHS Ayrshire and Arran. The boards is aware that if there is a gap in provision, which cannot be filled by other means, it can apply to Scottish ministers for approval for salaried dentist posts.

Dentistry

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many NHS dentists in the Ayrshire and Arran area take on new patients.

Rhona Brankin: This information is not held centrally. Any such information would be held by NHS Ayrshire and Arran.

Drug Misuse

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many deaths have been caused by the (a) consumption of animal products, except those caused by contaminated products, and (b) use of prescription drugs in (i) 2000, (ii) 2001, (iii) 2002 and (iv) 2003.

Tavish Scott: Causes of death are categorised using the World Health Organisation’s International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (Tenth Revision: ICD10). This classification does not separately identify deaths caused by the consumption of animal products.

  The table gives the numbers of deaths caused by the adverse effects of drugs and medicaments in therapeutic use. Additionally, drugs cause a significant number of deaths by poisoning (mainly associated with drug abuse, accidental poisoning or intentional self-poisoning). Statistics are available on the General Register Office for Scotland website:

  http://www.gro-scotland.gov.uk/statistics/library/03reference-tables/03reference-table6.html.

  Many of these deaths involve prescription drugs, sometimes in combination with non-prescription drugs, but the ICD10 classification does not categorise such deaths separately.

  Deaths Caused by the Adverse Effects of Drugs and Medicaments in Therapeutic Use

  

Year
2000
2001
2002
2003


Number
26
29
26
24

Energy Efficiency

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-11582 by Johann Lamont on 18 November 2004, when the Third Home Energy Conservation Act Progress Report for Scotland, covering the period from April 2001 to March 2003, will be published.

Johann Lamont: I have asked Angiolina Foster, the Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. Her response is as follows:

  The Third Home Energy Conservation Act Progress Report for Scotland is expect to be published early next year.

Energy Efficiency

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to carry out a review of progress on the Home Energy Conservation Act 1995 following the publication of the Third Home Energy Conservation Act Progress Report for Scotland.

Johann Lamont: I have asked Angiolina Foster, the Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. Her response is as follows:

  A review towards progress on local authorities energy efficiency targets under the Home Energy Conservation Act (HECA) is due to take place after submission of local authority HECA Reports in 2007, 10 years after the targets were set.

Energy Efficiency

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on how progress being made by Scottish local authorities towards achieving significant improvements in domestic energy efficiency through the Home Energy Conservation Act 1995 compares to local authorities in England and Wales.

Johann Lamont: I have asked Angiolina Foster, the Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows:

  I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-10827 on 13 October 2004. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

  The comparison between Scotland and Wales is shown in the following table.

  

Year
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003


Scotland
 
 
2.77%*
 
4.30%**
 
N/A


Wales
 
 
 
 
 
3.92%***
1%****



  Notes:

  *For the period 1 April 1997 to 31 March 1999.

  **For the period 1 April 1999 to 31 March 2001.

  ***For the period 1 April 1999 to 31 March 2002.

  ****This figure is based on nine returns from a possible 22 local authorities.

Environment

Eleanor Scott (Highlands and Islands) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-11985 by Lewis Macdonald on 19 November 2004, what part of section 38 of the Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004 deals with the management and protection from damage of Ramsar sites.

Lewis Macdonald: Section 38 of the Nature Conservation Scotland Act is concerned with ensuring that the existence of Ramsar sites is notified to relevant interested parties.

  The appropriate management and protection of Ramsar sites is secured by virtue of the classification of each Ramsar site as a site designated under the EC Habitats or Birds Directives and/or its designation as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).

Environment

Eleanor Scott (Highlands and Islands) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what the procedure is for, and what the implications are of, inclusion of a Ramsar site in the Montreux Record because of potential or actual adverse change in its ecological character and what information it has on the extent to which, in relation to Ramsar sites in Scotland, the procedure involves UK government departments or agencies.

Lewis Macdonald: The Montreux Record was established at the 4th Conference of the Contracting Parties to the Ramsar Convention in 1990. It is a listing of sites where changes in ecological character have occurred, are occurring or are likely to occur. The main objective of this mechanism is to draw attention to the need for action and to provide assistance to countries in solving the problems at particular Ramsar sites in need of priority conservation action. A site can only be included in the Record with the approval of the Contracting Party concerned. Contracting parties are requested to fill out a voluntary questionnaire with information on the site, normally to be returned to the Ramsar Bureau within three months.

  The procedure when a site is listed on the record is for the Ramsar Secretariat to seek the view of its Scientific and Technical Review Panel (STRP) and then arrange a technical mission (Ramsar Advisory Mission) to the site in order to advise on possible solutions.

  The UK is the Contracting Party to the Ramsar Convention and Defra acts as the Administrative Authority on behalf of the UK. The Administrative Authority formally submits any request to list a site on the Record to the Ramsar Secretariat, but it would be for the Scottish Executive to make such a request and complete the questionnaire in consultation with Scottish Natural Heritage along with voluntary bodies, site managers / owners and interested parties.

  A wetland will be removed from the Montreux Record based on the request of the Contracting Party and after consideration of advice and/or comment from the STRP.

  No sites in Scotland are currently on the Montreux Record.

  Further information on the operation of the Montreux Record can be found at:

  http://www.ramsar.org/key_montreux_record.htm.

Ferry Services

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive when west coast ferry routes currently operated by Caledonian MacBrayne will go out to tender.

Nicol Stephen: On 8 December, I announced details of the consultation exercise on the final service specification for the Clyde and Hebrides ferry services. The consultation will provide an opportunity for individuals and organisations with an interest to make their views known on the issue. The closing date for responses is Wednesday 16 March 2005 and I would encourage all those with an interest to make their views known through this process. Following the consultation exercise and further discussions with the European Commission, the Executive will announce its proposals for these vital lifeline ferry services.

Gaelic Language (Scotland) Bill

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how legislative measures to protect and develop the Welsh language informed the development of the Gaelic Language (Scotland) Bill.

Peter Peacock: The development of the legislative provisions in the Gaelic Language (Scotland) Bill has taken full account of the arrangements which have been put in place to protect and develop the Welsh language. The solutions proposed for Scotland differ from those enacted in Wales in order to safeguard sufficient flexibility to enable the bill to apply to the whole of Scotland.

Justice

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the (a) reoffending and (b) reconviction rate is after release from prison after (i) six months, (ii) one year and (iii) two years.

Cathy Jamieson: The information available centrally relates to reconvictions only. The latest figures on reconviction rates, which are for the cohort of offenders discharged from custody in 1999, are given in the table.

  Persons Discharged from Custody in 1999, Scotland

  

Reconvicted1 Within:
Percentage2


6 months
35


1 year
47


2 years
60



  Notes:

  1. Reconvicted for a crime, common assault, breach of the peace, racially aggravated conduct or harassment, firearms offences or social security offences.

  2. Provisional data.

Lottery Funding

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to make representations to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport regarding the National Lottery Bill, in particular regarding the potential impact of clauses 7 and 8 on the Heritage Lottery Fund in Scotland.

Ms Patricia Ferguson: The Scottish Executive has maintained a constant dialogue with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) during the drafting of the National Lottery Bill.

  Clause 7 is a power for the Secretary of State to reallocate money from the account of one distributor to the account of another, either for the same purpose or for another lottery good cause. It will only be exercised after a debate and affirmative resolution in each House of the Westminster Parliament and following consultation with the devolved administrations. The DCMS’ policy is that this reserve power will only be used when a distributor has built up an excessive balance and has not implemented the National Audit Office and DCMS recommendations for reducing it. In addition, under new section 29A, it has been decided that for the Heritage good cause, money will only be reallocated for heritage purposes.

  Clause 8 provides for the interest which is earned on all the unspent balances to be shared on the same basis as the income itself. Currently those distributors that have built up large balances retain the interest. Sharing interest fairly among all the good causes removes a possible incentive to maintain large unspent balances.

  We have not taken exception to the terms of these two clauses in the Westminster Bill, and have no plans to make representations to the UK Government regarding their potential impact.

Mental Health

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what funding provision is available for organisations working with people recovering from a mental illness.

Rhona Brankin: The Scottish Executive believes that all support, care and treatment services should be working to promote and support recovery.

  To help enable and facilitate this, the Scottish Executive has established the Scottish Recovery Network, which will be formally launched on 16 December 2004. The Scottish Recovery Network is funded with an initial budget of £285,719 (2004 to 2006) of health improvement funds, through the National Programme for Improving Mental Health and Well-Being.

  The Scottish Recovery Network will compliment the work of health boards and local authorities and voluntary agencies in promoting and supporting recovery.

  In addition to core grants from health boards and local authorities, £20 million is allocated to local authorities under the Mental Health Specific grant arrangements to support nearly 400 community based projects nationally, many of these support and complement recovery.

  In addition to support, care and treatment services, people’s recovery is also promoted and supported through improving employment and employment opportunities for people, access to social, arts, cultural and recreational activities, training and education opportunities, housing and transport. Sections 25 – 27 of the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003, identify the importance of these wider social issues as helping to promote the well-being and social development of people with a mental disorder.

Non-Departmental Public Bodies

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a detailed breakdown of the savings it plans to achieve in the Scottish Environment Protection Agency and Scottish Natural Heritage, as referred to in Building a Better Scotland: Efficient Government Securing Efficiency, Effectiveness and Productivity .

Lewis Macdonald: As stated in Building a Better Scotland: Efficient Government Securing Efficiency , Effectiveness and Productivity , Scottish Environment Protection Agency and Scottish Natural Heritage are in the process of developing efficiency plans, and we anticipate more detail will be available in the New Year.

Parliamentary Questions

Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many substantive answers to written questions each minister (a) gave in session one and (b) has given in session two and what the average number of working days was for the provision of such answers by each minister.

Ms Margaret Curran: The number of substantive answers to written questions by each minister in session one and two is given in the A udit of Written Scottish Parliamentary Questions copies of which are available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre. Details of those publications and their Bib. numbers are given in the following table.

  The information requested about the average number of working days for the provision of such answers by each minister has not been held centrally since the Audit of Scottish Parliamentary Questions: May 1999-January 2000 which gives the average number of weeks taken to reply (rounded to the nearest whole week).

  

Title
Year
Annex or Appendix
Bib. Number.


Audit of Scottish parliamentary questions: May 1999 to January 2000
1999
Appendix 5
7213


Audit of written Scottish parliamentary questions: January to June 2000
2000
Annex 6
9564


Audit of written Scottish parliamentary questions: 1 July to 30 September 2000
2000
Annex 5
13150


Audit of written Scottish parliamentary questions: 1 October to 31 December 2000
2000
Annex 5
16087


Audit of written Scottish parliamentary questions: 1 January to 31st March 2001
2001
Annex 5
15927


Audit of written Scottish parliamentary questions: 1 April to 30 June 2001
2001
Annex 5
17443


Audit of written Scottish parliamentary questions: 1 July to 30 September 2001
2001
Annex 5
18627


Audit of written Scottish parliamentary questions: 1 October to 31 December 2001
2001
Annex 5A
22244


Audit of written Scottish parliamentary questions: 1 January to 31 March 2002
2002
Annex 5
24761


Audit of written Scottish parliamentary questions: 1 April to 30 June 2002
2002
Annex 5
25323


Audit of written Scottish parliamentary questions: 1 July to 30 September 2002
2002
Annex 5
25930


Audit of written Scottish parliamentary questions: 1 October to 31 December 2002
2002
Annex 5
27278


Audit of written Scottish parliamentary questions: 1 January to 31 March 2003
2003
Annex 5
28176


Audit of written Scottish parliamentary questions: April to June 2003
2003
Annex 4
33394


Audit of written Scottish parliamentary questions: July to September 2003
2003
Annex 4
31069


Audit of written Scottish parliamentary questions: October to December 2003
2003
Annex 4
32751


Audit of written Scottish parliamentary questions: January to March 2004
2004
Annex 4
33147


Audit of written Scottish parliamentary questions: April to June 2004
2004
Annex 4
34645

People with Learning Disabilities

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how Highland Council can comply with the provisions in The same as you? as they affect resettlement plans for patients in the New Craigs Learning Disability Hospital, Inverness, in light of reductions in supporting people funding.

Rhona Brankin: We expect NHS Highland and the local authority to find solutions consistent with the principles set out in The same as you? and the resources available.

  In May 2000, health boards and local authorities were advised to plan to close all remaining long-stay hospitals for people with learning disabilities by 2005. This is not therefore a new requirement, and the target remains.

  Supporting People funds the housing support needs of individuals: it was not introduced to deliver the policy of closure of long-stay learning disability hospitals. That said, in 2005-06 Highland Council will benefit from about £13 million of Supporting People grant, which was not envisaged when The same as you? was published in 2000.

Public Sector

Mike Pringle (Edinburgh South) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2O-3962 by Tavish Scott on 11 November 2004, which organisations are being considered for relocation from Edinburgh as part of on-going reviews; why the organisations are being included in such reviews at this stage, and whether it will provide a breakdown by organisation of the 1,800 posts being considered for relocation.

Tavish Scott: There are currently 10 organisations being considered for relocation. The table shows the number of posts under consideration in each of those organisations and the reason for inclusion in the review programme. The eleventh body, referred to in my previous answer, was the proposed Custodial Agency which the Minister for Justice has subsequently announced will not be brought in to being.

  

Organisation
Number of Posts
Review Trigger


Scottish Arts Council
100
Lease break


NHS Quality Improvement Scotland
100-110
New body


NHS Health Scotland
81
New body


NHS Education in Scotland
100
New body


sportscotland
133
Lease break


Mental Welfare Commission
50
Lease break


Scottish Further and Higher Education Funding Councils
163
Lease break


Architecture and Design Scotland
8-10
Lease break and new body


Proposed National Transport Agency
TBC
New body


Registers of Scotland
1,030
Lease break


Total
1,777

Renewable Energy

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive why exempt suppliers of renewable energy from hydro power are not eligible for Renewable Obligation Certificates.

Mr Jim Wallace: Output from large hydro schemes (those over 20 Megawatts) commissioned before 2 April 2002 is not eligible for support under the Renewables Obligation (Scotland) Order 2004 (the ROS), as the schemes are long established – support under the ROS would constitute a windfall. Output from these schemes is of course classified as renewable, and will continue to make an important contribution towards meeting the Executive’s targets.

Renewable Energy

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to change the regime for Renewable Obligation Certificates to bring exempt suppliers of renewable energy from hydro power within the ambit of the scheme.

Mr Jim Wallace: We have no such plans.

Shop Closures

Shiona Baird (North East Scotland) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive how many independent grocery retailers have gone out of business in the last two years and in which areas.

Mr Jim Wallace: We do not have information on the number of independent grocery retailers that have gone out of business in the last two years. However, the following table reports the number of independent businesses that closed in the grocery retail sector between 2001 and 2003, where a closure is defined as a business no longer appearing on the Inter Departmental Business Register (IDBR).

  

Local Enterprise Company
Number of Enterprises


Argyll, Bute, Arran and the Cumbraes
10


Ayrshire
55


Borders
10


Caithness and Sutherland
10


Dumfries and Galloway
20


Dunbartonshire
15


Fife
40


Forth Valley
40


Glasgow
95


Grampian
55


Inverness and Nairn
0


Lanarkshire
65


Lochaber
0


Lothian and Edinburgh
90


Moray, Badenoch and Strathspey
15


Orkney
5


Renfrewshire
45


Ross and Cromarty
5


Shetland
0


Skye and Lochalsh
5


Tayside
30


Western Isles
5


Total
620



  Note that a business may no longer appear on the IDBR if it has ceased trading, been taken over by another business or the turnover of the business has fallen below the VAT threshold and the business has de-registered for VAT.

Skye Bridge

John Farquhar Munro (Ross, Skye and Inverness West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will end Skye Bridge tolls.

Nicol Stephen: I am pleased to announce that, following the successful conclusion of negotiations with Skye Bridge Ltd, tolls will be removed from the Skye Bridge as of today.

Supermarkets

Mr Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what contribution it made to the Office of Fair Trading’s review of the Supermarket Code of Practice.

Ross Finnie: The Executive made representation to the Office of Fair Trading (OFT), early in 2003, to the effect that there was a very strong view from suppliers in Scotland that the Supermarket Code of Practice was not working. The representation made it clear that fear of de-listing was preventing suppliers making complaints under the code, together with concerns about lack of substantive penalties for non-compliance. The outcome of this representation, and other similar representations, was the OFT’s announcement of an audit of the code, aimed at establishing the effectiveness of the code. The report of the audit is nearing completion and is likely to be published early in 2005. The Executive will make further representation once the outcome of the audit is known.

Supermarkets

Mr Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has had any correspondence with supermarket suppliers who wanted to register their concern over the impact of the Supermarket Code of Practice but who were reluctant to make an official complaint under the code and, if so, what its response to these suppliers was.

Ross Finnie: The Executive has received little formal correspondence where the supplier wanted to register concern over the Supermarket Code of Practice, but was reluctant to make an official complaint under the code. However, informal and anecdotal views have been expressed over the lack of effectiveness of the code. The Executive in all cases has invited complainants to contact the Office of Fair Trading (OFT), and also, early in 2003, made representation to the OFT about these views.

Supermarkets

Mr Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make any representations to the UK Government regarding the establishment of a confidential system for registering supermarket suppliers’ complaints under the code of practice, given concerns expressed by suppliers and trade associations over the impact of the current system.

Ross Finnie: The question of the effectiveness of the Supermarket Code of Practice is the subject of an audit being carried out by the Office of Fair Trading. The issue of change to the code will be considered in light of the results of that audit, which are due to be published early in 2005. The Executive will make representation once the outcome of the audit is known.

Supermarkets

Mr Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has raised any concerns regarding the Supermarket Code of Practice officially with the UK Government and, if so, whether it will give details of the representations made.

Ross Finnie: The question of the effectiveness of the operation of the Supermarket Code of Practice is currently the subject of an audit by the Office of Fair Trading (OFT). The Executive made representation to the OFT about the effectiveness of the code which, along with other representations, led to the audit being conducted. The results are likely to be published early in 2005. The Executive will make further representation once the outcome of the audit is known.

Supermarkets

Shiona Baird (North East Scotland) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what meetings have been held between representatives of supermarkets and ministers in the last two years; when any such meetings were held; which supermarkets were involved; what issues were discussed, and what the outcomes were.

Ross Finnie: I have met representatives from supermarkets on several occasions over the last two years, as have officials of the Executive. The main topic for discussion has been these companies’ sourcing policy in Scotland and their relationship with suppliers. I have also discussed other issues such as environmental concerns, including the use of plastic bags.

Supermarkets

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will announce the results of any research that has been commissioned into how much of each pound spent on groceries is received by farmers, as referred to by Nora Radcliffe MSP on 25 November 2004 (Official Report, col 12270).

Ross Finnie: I am not aware of the research mentioned by Nora Radcliffe.